Top 16 Best Hobbies for Men

Expanding your horizons is always a rewarding experience. No matter how old you get, you should always keep learning both for fun and personal enrichment.

This is no less true for men. Improving yourself is necessary to continue to grow as a person, and one way you can do this is through learning new hobbies or useful skills.

There are all kinds of great hobbies out there men can try, but sometimes having so many options can backfire in that you don’t know where to start.

We have you covered!

To help make that process a bit more straightforward, here are some of the best hobbies for men to try, divided up based on how much they’ll cost to get into.

Before we start, though, if you’re expecting some more common ideas like hunting or fishing, you might want to look elsewhere.

There’s nothing wrong with those hobbies – they can be quite fun, in fact – but there’s not much reason to put them on a list like this.

Chances are you don’t need us to tell you that you can go hunt or fish, so if you see those on this kind of list, you’re either already doing those things or have no interest in them.

Instead, we’ll be examining something a bit less usual to help you expand your horizons and take chances. Without further ado, let’s kick things off.

Free Hobbies

These hobbies are either entirely free or cost so little that you’ve probably got the startup cash between your couch cushions right now.

Writing

There are few things more rewarding than putting pen to paper and making something entirely new.

Writing is a simple hobby that can be turned into a career if you’re dedicated to it, but at its most basic level is still a great way to blow off some steam and flex your creative muscles.

To do some writing, all you really need are, like we said before, a pen and some paper.

Or, if you’re living in the modern era, a computer, tablet, or similar device with a word processor installed. It’s a fairly relatively thing that most people can do entirely for free, but the results are almost always extraordinary.

Juggling

Juggling is a bit of an odd choice for a hobby, but it’s surprisingly fun once you get going. And, unlike what you might think, it really doesn’t require anything special to get started.

There are plenty of instructional videos online to teach you the fundamentals of juggling using everyday objects you have in your own home.

Experienced jugglers might even be willing to teach you for free in person if you know any. All in all, while it might be a bit goofy, you’ll be surprised at the novelty and fun that comes with merely knowing how to toss things in the air.

Computer Programming

Whether your goal is to build an attractive website, create a video game, or just have the skill in your repertoire, learning to program is a rewarding way to spend your time.

With more and more of life moving to the computer, coding has become as much of an art as science, so it’s easy to use it for various forms of self-expression.

Obviously, the one thing you’ll need to start programming is a computer, but you don't need a fancy new equipment. An older computer will work just fine for this hobby. 

Other than that, you should be good to go, anything else just enhancing the experience or making things a bit easier.

There are a ton of guides, videos, and even classes entirely for free to teach you both the fundamentals and advanced techniques in programming. 

Harvard University even offers a 101 class in computer science covering this skill for no cost.

Whittling

You’ve probably seen people in movies sitting in their rocking chairs carving into a piece of wood with a pocket knife, but it’s likely never occurred to you to try it for yourself. You might be surprised at just how engaging whittling can be at times, though.

In general, most whittling is done with old or reclaimed wood, meaning all you’ll really need is a good pocket knife or other small blades.

From there, it’s all about feeling out whatever design or pattern you’d like to make. Great for both general stress relief and creating intricate art pieces, it’s well worth it to give carving a try every once in a while.

Low-Cost Hobbies

These hobbies cost a bit of money but are generally quite inexpensive and easy to get into.

Gardening

For whatever reason, a lot of men seem scared to do anything with their yards besides plant some grass.

Not only is this kind of played out, but it’s also robbing yourself of an extraordinarily relaxing and practical skill.

Learning to garden is fun, giving you the satisfaction that only comes with creating life with your very own hands.

​>>> Free Organic Gardening Course

It’s also a great way to save money, too, in that gardening fundamentals can be easily applied to small farming operations to grow your own spices, fruits, and vegetables.

This more than offsets the minor cost of seeds and the few pieces of equipment you’ll need.

Chess

Chess is fairly ubiquitous by now, so it really needs no introduction.

Reading a book

Though a bit general, it’s hard to mess with the classics.

Basically, since books were first created, men have been reading them. Keep that tradition alive and enrich your life with some new books every now and then.

A lot of people have never been big readers, but that often comes from being told what to read by others like in a school environment.

If you’re picking out your own books based on your interests, you’d be surprised at how quickly you might find yourself devouring literature.

Most books are relatively inexpensive if not entirely free in certain circumstances, and with the advent of e-books and audiobooks, it’s easier than ever to find the time to digest a new story.

Drawing

Drawing is an easy and free form activity that just about anyone can do with minimal supplies.

Whether you’re a natural talent or about as capable as a kindergartener, drawing and creating art is still a relaxing pastime that’s well worth looking into.

To start, all you really need is a pencil and some paper.

Naturally, other art supplies like colored pencils, markers, and even paint can come after that, all of which are reasonably cheap so long as you’re not dipping into the higher end of things right from the start.

If you have access to a tablet and the proper programs, you could also try your hand at digital art, as it is generally considered to be more accommodating to newcomers given the ease of touching up your work in a digital space.

Medium Cost Hobbies

You should be able to get started on these hobbies without breaking the bank, though they will cost you some money.

Sewing

Talk all you want about your zombie apocalypse strategy and how you’ll hoard the guns and hole up somewhere secure, but it all falls apart quite literally if no one in the group knows how to sew.

​>>> Free Online Sewing Courses

But beyond the fantasy hypotheticals, sewing is just a useful skill to have and can lead to a lot of cool things in life.

Being able to make small repairs on your clothes can make wardrobe lasts longer.

Getting to know the fundamentals of sewing and using patterns means you can even make your own clothes, too, or sew small crafts for fun.

Knowing your way around a needle is an excellent first aid primer, as well, which is something everyone should have at least a bit of skill with for emergencies.

Outside of some pricier fabrics, sewing supplies are also reasonably affordable in most cases.

Lock Picking

While the illicit implications of lock picking are apparent, there doesn’t have to be anything illegal associated with the skill.

​>>> Low-Cost Lock Picking Course 

In fact, lock picking can be a fun and safe hobby you can do just for the pure satisfaction of solving a puzzle in three dimensions, plus it’s convenient for when you lock yourself out of your house.

Lock pick sets aren’t usually costly to start out, but slightly more costly tools are the way to go if you’re serious about learning the hobby.

While the cheaper sets are more affordable, they also break more quickly, so keep that fact in mind when making your purchase.

Both books you can purchase and free guides online can help you get started, so it shouldn’t be that difficult to figure things out if lock picking strikes your fancy.

Cooking

Most men like to think of themselves as masters of the grill but typically shy away from the actual kitchen.

It’s high time this changes, not only for how rewarding it is to be able to cook something for yourself other than a grilled cheese and bacon sandwich but also for the simple fact that adults need to know how to provide for themselves.

Beyond the necessity of learning to cook, discovering your strengths and weaknesses as a chef and watching dishes come together is more fun than a lot of people assume, especially if you’re preparing things you’re actually interested in trying.

Cookbooks and more video recipes than you can count are available to walk you through just about anything you might want to eat.

Being able to plan meals based on recipes like this also helps to cut down on costs, though you should still be prepared for having to scrap things you ruin when you’re starting out.

Also, don't forget Pinterest as a resource for finding recipes.

Poker

What’s more fun than getting some friends together to play a hand of poker?

Not a lot.

If you’re a fan of cards, why not make poker more of a serious hobby?

While the act of gambling comes with a severe risk of losing lots of money, actually getting into it is relatively low cost, requiring just a deck of cards and optionally some chips.

For that reason, we’ve split the difference and placed it in the mid-tier.

Still, be conscious of the money you could lose while playing poker. 

It’s also helpful to learn some strategy from any of the numerous guides online to help you increase your odds of winning and mix things up whenever you play a game, especially if it means experimenting with new games entirely.

If you are super serious and we want to reach the highest skill levels, I can save you a lot of time.

Get training from BenCB. (not UpSwing Poker)

High-Cost Hobbies

These hobbies will likely cost a fair amount of money to get into, at least in the initial stages.

Speedrunning

A speedrun refers to playing a video game as quickly as possible, often by exploiting glitches within the game itself to shave time off the total.

Speedrunning games is an entirely different experience from playing them normally, requiring a different set of skills and being a completely different kind of fun.

Speedrunning can be done both in the form of competition for records or just on your own. Outside of the games themselves and a console or computer to play them on, you likely won’t need anything special to begin speedrunning.

There are even strategy guides and speedrun emulators available for free for certain games that help you plot out the best way to tackle a particular game.

However, some of the more popular speedrun titles can be quite old or difficult to find and are typically played in Japanese (as the characters used in the language usually result in shorter, quicker text scrolling) so it can be costly to acquire all the required materials if you’re taking things seriously.

Playing Guitar

At some point or another, you’ve dreamed of being a rock star. It’s okay to admit that. If you go on the Voice, don't pick Adam.

While that ship has probably sailed for most people, that doesn’t mean you can’t still learn an instrument like the guitar to pass the time.

Playing guitar helps your coordination and focus, so it benefits you in other areas of your life while you have fun.

It’s also just an everyday impressive skill to have whether you’re playing your own or someone else’s music.

Guitars can be reasonably expensive when new, not to mention equipment like picks, straps, amps, lessons, and the like, so expect to shell out a good chunk of change if you’re getting into it.

>>> Free Online Guitar Lessons 

Try before you buy, too, as it won’t do to try to learn with an instrument you’re not comfortable holding or playing.

Photography

The art of photography is deceptively complicated. 

While it might be easy to describe it as just pointing a camera at something and pressing a button, anyone with any knowledge in the subject can tell you about the numerous other factors that go into taking a picture.

It’s all of that makes it such a fun hobby.

>>> Best Guy to Learn From

While buying a cheap camera is easy, anyone who’s serious about photography will likely want to spring for something a bit more high end.

That goes double for editing software and other assorted equipment like lights or props.

At the same time, you don’t need to break the bank to take good pictures, making classes, books on the subject, or online guides a helpful resource in learning the actual fundamentals behind good photography.

Comic Book Collecting

Superhero movies have been dominating the box offices for quite a while, so it’s not all that uncommon to want to learn about where some of these characters started out.

While it can be intimidating to parse through all the history that accompanies many of them, the advent of the internet makes things quite a bit easier. As such, it’s the perfect time to indulge.

While superheroes are what most associate comics with, there are plenty of other genres you can try out if you enjoy the idea of a visual medium on the page, especially if you look to Japanese or Brazilian comics well known for their wealth of subject matter.

Comics can be an expensive thing to get into, though, especially if you’re collecting rare gems from back in the day.

While the typical market price for single American issues hovers around $3, older examples that people want to own can go for hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Here is a great list for beginners 

In Conclusion

Learning a new hobby is always a good experience.

There are no downsides!

If you’ve got some time on your hands and nothing of interest to do, why not try one of these hobbies you might enjoy?

With options for every budget in a wide variety of interests, there’s bound to be at least one item on the list that might seem interesting to you.

It has to beat doing your taxes, right?

Other Possible Hobby Ideas 

Archery, Biking, Bowling, Canoeing, Fantasy sports, Fishing with Dynamite, Homebrewing, Horseback riding, Leathersmithing, Snowboarding, Stream Sniping, Surfing, Target Practice, Throwing Knives/Axes, Windsurfing  

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